The silent danger driving earthquake victims to death: hypothermia

Search and rescue efforts continue in the Southeastern Anatolia region, where two magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes struck Kahramanmaraş and caused devastating damage in 10 provinces. Cold weather, snow and rain have made hypothermia the biggest threat after the wreckage in the region. So, what is hypothermia, how does it manifest with symptoms? What precautions should be taken to prevent the development of hypothermia? Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Doc. Dr. Sinan Karaca made life-saving statements on this topic.

“Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can generate heat, causing body temperature to drop dangerously low,” Assoc said. Dr Sinan Karaca said: “Normal body temperature is around 37C. Hypothermia occurs when your body temperature drops below 35C.

associate Dr. Sinan Karaca “When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs cannot function normally. Hypothermia is usually caused by exposure to cold air. Primary treatments for hypothermia are methods used to warm the body back to a normal temperature. said.

Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Doc. Dr. Sinan Karaca listed the signs and symptoms of hypothermia one by one:

Shake
slurp or mumble
slow, shallow breathing
weak heartbeat
Clumsiness or lack of coordination
lethargy or very low energy
confusion or memory loss
Loss of consciousness
Bright red, cold skin (in infants)
Karaca stated that children are in the highest risk group and listed ways to prevent hypothermia in children:

To help prevent hypothermia in children;

Dress babies and young children in one layer more than an adult would wear under the same circumstances.
Be careful if their children start to shake – this is the first sign of hypothermia.
Children should not stay outside for too long, they often have to seek shelter in warm places to warm themselves.
Babies should never sleep in a cold room.
“A person with hypothermia is often unaware of their condition because symptoms usually begin gradually. Also, the confused thinking associated with hypothermia impairs self-awareness. Mixed thinking can also lead to risky behaviors. If left untreated, hypothermia can be insidious lead to complete deterioration of the heart and respiratory system and ultimately to the death of earthquake victims.